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| ==Howling Banshees==
| | #REDIRECT [[Aspect Warrior#Howling Banshees]] |
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| [[File:Howling Banshee Exarch %26 Warriors.jpg|270px|right|thumb|If not their screams, then their swords and pistols will tear you a new one. Still a good way to die.]] | |
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| The second Aspect temple created was that of the Howling Banshees, founded by [[Jain Zar]]. Their namesake comes from Eldar mythology, in which banshees are warp apparitions that foreshadow doom with their loud cries.
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| As the story goes, [[Morai-Heg]], the Crone Goddess, wanted to drink her own divine blood and learn all of knowledge stored in it. But the only creature capable of harming a deity was Khaine, who actually didn't want to help her out. So she sent her daughters to [[-4 Str|bitch and whine]] at Khaine until he relented and cut off her hand to shut her up. In return, he kept ownership rights to the Banshees and created an aspect. In actuality, they were named when Jain Zar spent a night with [[Sly Marbo]].
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| Howling Banshees specialize in melee combat and carry power swords and Shuriken pistols. Each Banshee wears a Banshee mask, which amplifies the wearer's battle cries into a psychic scream that disorients targets, giving the Banshees the initiative and allowing them to live up to their namesake as the [[Kharn|screaming harbingers of bloody murder]]. A Banshee Exarch may wield twin powerblades, a power sword and boomerang, or a badass Executioner, which is basically an Eldar power naginata. High initiative (as high as [[Slaanesh]]-marked [[Chaos Space Marines]]) and power weapons make them big trouble for power-armored foes. They are also a favored target of fa/tg/uy lusts due to their...form-fitting armor.
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| [[File:Space Faggots.jpg|left|thumb|220px|Male Banshees exist. Yep, it goes kinda like this.]]
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| On the tabletop, Howling Banshees have had a rough time of things since their 4th edition rules. This is due to being fragile at T3 with a 4+ save, striking at S3 when their main targets ([[Space Marines|Marines]]) have a toughness of 4 or better, not having quite enough weight of attack to deal with large numbers of enemies, and having Initiative and WS values only somewhat better than their targets of choice (and inferior to Wyches, who serve much the same role in [[Dark Eldar]] armies). This is compounded by a lack of assault grenades to strike first against enemies in cover or assault transports to bring them to their opponents safely. History follows like so.
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| *6th edition slapped them hard right off the bat with the new power weapons rules, the many nerfs to assault (not being able to run and charge was especially devastating), and a restriction that only allows them to bring swords. They got a lateral buff at best with the new book, which really didn't fix their old problems but improved their competition (buffing Scorpions a bit and introducing Wraithblades). The Exarchs did get quite a lot better, but now, like Genestealers, they have been reduced to glorified sergeant escorts.
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| *The new 7th edition codex gave them a rather significant buff—they still don't have plasma grenades, but they now ignore cover when charging and can charge further. Also, their masks now suppress overwatch fire, which helps them out quite a bit, especially against shooty folks like [[Tau]], or units with multiple flamers.
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| Furthermore, the entire Eldar book and indeed the meta as a whole really isn't lacking for AP3 killing capacity, thus further ensuring that the primary role Banshees will fill is that of shelf decoration—a cruel fate for one of the most iconic Eldar units that is seen in virtually all media involving them and is one of the first things that comes to mind when the Eldar are brought up. Although, given the similar prominence and screwing over of the [[Bloodletter]] for Chaos armies, the [[Tyranid Warrior|Warrior]] for Tyranids, or Tactical [[Terminators]] for Space Marines, they at least have [[Company Of Misery|company in misery]].
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| *8th edition changed them up by re-introducing the move stat which has finally allowed GW to do away with the million and one awkward rules that modify how fast a unit goes while still having everyone move six inches base and just do the sensible fucking thing of making that a stat. The only [[Fail|remaining mystery]] is why they ever removed the move stat in the first place. With a movement stat of eight, being able to charge after advancing, and getting three extra inches on their charge distance, Banshees can threaten anything within an average of twenty one and a half inches. Or more if you pick the Red and therefore fastest craftworld. They also have outright immunity to overwatch (suck it Tau!) and as long as the Exarch is in play, enemies have a -1 penalty to hit them in close combat. This Makes CQC units, which generally hit on a 3+ now hit on a 4+ and combined with stratagems and psychic powers hitting these bastards can become pretty hard.
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| However at S3 and only two attacks base with a S:User AP-2 weapon and a Shuriken pistol, they still struggle to kill their supposed intended target of MEQs. With banshees only hitting two out of three times, wounding only one out of three times, and getting deflected by MEQ pauldrons one out of three times, they're rather shockingly bad at killing Space Marines. Banshees ''need'' psyker support or else basic bitch Necron Warriors will tie up the brides of Khaine all game long. With Psyker support, they're definitely quite handy, and their Exarch is one hell of a brutal and killy melee beatstick. But you might still be left wondering if your points aren't better spent on Striking Scorpions or Wraithblades. Which they aren't, Banshees are dirt cheap at a mere 13pts/model and serve not so much as a combat unit but as a harbinger for your more meatier combat unit.
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| As has been the case for basically as long as M3 has been a thing, the Banshee has been let down by not having enough attacks or a high enough strength value to outperform the Striking Scorpion convincingly enough to take them over them outside of situational cases. At this rate, it'll actually be the forty second millennium before GW realizes that a Space Marine's toughness score is just as much a part of their defence as their armour save and that S3 power weapons are exceedingly mediocre at killing Marines without a lot of wounds to throw around.
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| They represent Khaine in his aspect as a harbinger of doom.
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| THEY ARE COMING IN PLASTIC! REJOICE, AND CRY FOR JOY! HUZZAH!
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